Sectional drawer cabinet



Oct- 15 1953 R. A. LIGHTBURN 3,107,131

SECTIONAL DRAWER CABINET Filed July ll, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 t E E i 7g) /Q 'v i; -l -f v @nmmmumr mnmmmupz l i Ill IU' Z r-llllllllllmll rnllmllnlllllll. 7 4A- HMI" uw w 3 l" l l' \l' 11i" 4i y l Li 1f 11/915 wi- P193 M" 13 is up :"3 l Il /5 l76 g INVENToR. vf .rfa/1,15 5 ,r 7 :Sfaafzflg'yjizzr/g 4f@ TT BY 41% Oct. 15, 1963 R. A. LIGHTBURN- 3,107,131

sEcTroNAL DRAWER CABINET Filed July 11, 1961 2 Sheecs-Sheet 2 e y x\\\ VU ign Z5 73 INVENTOR.

3,107,131 SECTIQNAL DRAWER CABHNET Robert A. Lightburn, Lakeside Trail, Fayson Lakes, Kinnelon, RED., Butler, NJ. Filed July 11, 1961, Ser. No. 123,139 3 Claims. (Cl. S12- 107) This invention relates in general to a cabinet formed of a plurality of sections, and more particularly the invention contemplates a cabinet including a plurality of sections each of which has at least two drawers for filing or storage purposes.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a cabinet which shall comprise a plurality of sections embodying novel and improved features of construction whereby the sections can be separably assembled in either vertically superposed or side-by-side relation to each other.

Further objects are to provide a cabinet of this character wherein the `sections shall be substantially identical and there shall be means for interlocking a plurality of sections together in either vertically stacked relation or in side-by-side relation to each other; and to provide a novel and improved section which shall permit a plurality of the sections to be easily and quickly assembled in different relations to each other as `desired without the necessity for separate fastening elements or tools.

Other objects are to provide a cabinet section which shall be simple, inexpensive, reliable and durable and shall be constructed lso that -it can be readily combined with similar sections to provide a multiple section cabinet of any desired capacity; and to obtain other advantages and results that will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE l is a perspective view of a cabinet comprising a plurality of sections constructed and connected together in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the cabinet approximately on the plane of the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a composite perspective view of one of the cabinet sections with one drawer in closed position and another drawer partially open, the cover lifted `from the body of the section, and two locking elements; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view approximately on the plane 'of the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3.

Specifically describing the invention, the cabinet comprises a plurality of identical sections generally designated A, B, C and D, and preferably the sections are formed of molded synthetic plastic material, for example, high-impact polystyrene.

As shown, each cabinet section (best illustrated in FIG- URE 4) has side walls y1 and 2, a rear wall 3, a partition 5 between the side walls, a front wall portion 4 for each side wall and said partition and a bottom wall 6 which provides article receiving compartments, in each of which, in the present instance, is a drawer 7 slidably mounted on the bottom Wall between the one side wall and the partition and between the corresponding front Wall portions.

Preferably each side wall is lformed lof two portions, the portions of the side wall 1 being designated 1a and 1b and the portions of the side wall 2 being designated 2a and 2b; and it is also desirable that the partition be formed of two spaced apart portions 5a and Sb. The portions 1b and 2b of the side walls preferably are inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the correspondingly downllll Patented Oct. 15, 1963 wardly and inwardly inclined walls 5a and 5b `of the partition as best shown in FIGURE 2, and the bottom wall 6 is lconnected to the inner portions yof the side walls and partition and to the `front and rear walls. As shown, the drawer is slidably mounted on the bottom wall between the inner portions of the side walls and the partition.

rlibe bottom -wall has a out-away portion or rabbet 8 along each side wall extending from front to rear thereof to seat on the top edge of the corresponding side wall of a lower section, and the top edges of the s-ide walls extend above the top edges of the rear wall and the partition. More particularly describing the construction and arrangement, it will be seen that the rabbets of, for example, the section C seat on the top edges of the side walls of the sect-ion D; and the bottom Iwall has a recessed portion 6a between the two portions of the partition which provides a clearance for the top edge of the partition of a lower section as best `shown in FIGURE 2.

For each section when it is used separately or for the uppermost section of a plurality of stacked cabinet sections as shown in FIGURE 1, there is provided a cover plate 9 which seats on the top edges of the front and rear walls and the partition of the section; and preferably the inner portions of the side walls and partition have inwardly extending bosses 10 spaced from the top edges of the walls and partition providing additional seats for the cover plate. To hold the cover plate from sliding irom front to rear of the section, a boss 11 is provided [on the top edge of the partition adjacent each of the front and rear walls and the cover plate has a hole 12 to lit over each of 'said bosses.

These bosses 11 are also spaced inwardly from the fnont and rear Iwalls of the cabinet section so that when one section is superposed upon another as shown best in FIGURES l and 3, the bosses abut the inner side of the corresponding front and rear walls to hol-d a section superposed upon another, for example, the section C superposed upon the `section D, against sliding off the lowersection in a front to rear direction. Obviously the engagement 'of the rabbetted portion V8 of one `section such as section C with the edges of the side Walls of a lower section such as the section D, prevent side to side movement of the upper section on the lower section.

For the purpose of holding the sections together in horizontally aligned side-by-side relation as shown, for example, in sections B and D and the sections A and C, each of the outer portions 1a and 2a of the side walls is provided with at least one notch 13 extending inwardly from the edge of the wall portion. When two sections are arranged in side-by-side relation, the notches 13 of the two sections are in register or alignment with each other as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, and a locking element 14 is frictionally iitted into the notches of the abutting walls. The form of the locking element may be varied but it is shown as elongated, H-shaped in crosssection, including a body portion 15 and a pair of spaced apart iianges 16 extending laterally from opposite sides thereof and longitudinally from end to end of the body portion. The anges are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the combined thickness of the two abutting walls, as best shown in FIGURE 5, so that when the locking element is slipped into the notches in the lower edges of the walls, it will pull the two abutting walls into tight engagement with each other and thus hold the two cabinet sections against pulling apart. Desirably the two iianges of each pair may be inclined with respect to each other to facilitate insertion of the locking elements into the notches and to insure a tight frictional engagement thereof with the abutting cabinet wall portions.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the invention provides a cabinet section so constructed that it can be combined with or connected to any desired number aid/,131

of identical sections in either vertically stacked relation to each other or in horizontally aligned side-by-side relation, all easily and quickly by an unskilled person and without the necessity for separate fastening elements or tools; and also ltwo or more of the units can be firmly but separably locked together in horizontally aligned sideby-side relation by the simple slipping of the locking elernent into the notches in the abutting side walls of the adjacent sections.

Modications and changes in the details of construction in the cabinet sections and assembly of the sections into a multiple section cabinet will occur to those skilled in the art as within the spirit and scope of the invention.

i claim:

1. A cabinet section including a body having side walls, a rear wall, a partition between said side walls, a front wall portion for each side wall and said partitionY and a bottom wall, providing article receiving compartments, the top edges of said side walls extending above the top edges of said rear wall portions and said partition, said bottom wall having a rabbet along each side wall extending from the front to the rear thereof to Vseat on the top edge of the corresponding side wall of a lower cabinet section and said bottom wall having a recessed portion adjacent both the front wall portions and the rear wall, there being a cover plate to seat on the top edges of the rear wall portions and the partition of the first-mentioned section and having holes to t over bosses on the top edge of said partition adjacent the front wall portion of said partition and rear Wall, respectively, and the top edge of the partition having such bosses selectively either to fit into such holes or to enter said recessed portion of the bottom wall in abutment with the front wall portion of said partition with the rear wall of a snperp-oeed section.

2. A cabinet section as defined in claim 1 wherein each side wall is formed of two spaced inner and outer portions and the inner portions extend below the outer portions' to form the side walls of said rabbets, the bottom wall is connected to the inner portions and to said partition, and with the addition of a drawer in each compartment slidable on the bottom wall and between the inner portions of the side walls and the partition.

3. A cabinet section as defined in claim 2 with the addition of a second cabinet section with one of its outer side wall portions side by side with and in abutment with said outer side wall portion of the first-mentioned cabinet section, each of the outer side wall portions having at least one notch extending inwardly from the corresponding rabbet, and a locking element frictionally itted into said notches of said abutting side wall portions providing for positive connection of the two sections together in sideby-side horizontal aligned relation to each other, said locking element being elongated and H-shaped in cross section comprising an elongated body portion with a pair of longitudinal flanges projecting from each of opposite edges thereof, each pair of anges frictionally gripping said abutting side wall portions adjacent the corresponding edges of said notches.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,680 Fink Dec. 27, 1904 1,066,359 Adams July 1, 1913 1,757,475 Pratt May 6, 1930 2,690,285 Main Sept. 28, 1954 2,715,559 Villo Aug. 16, 1955 3,003,839 Bloom Oct. 10, 1961 3,030,163 Gottsegen Apr. 17, 1962 3,033,635 Glass May 8, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 435,316 Germany Oct. 12, 1926 541,920 Italy Apr. 12, 1956 

1. A CABINET SECTION INCLUDING A BODY HAVING SIDE WALLS, A REAR WALL, A PARTITION BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, A FRONT WALL PORTION FOR EACH SIDE WALL AND SAID PARTITION AND A BOTTOM WALL, PROVIDING ARTICLE RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS, THE TOP EDGES OF SAID WALLS EXTENDING ABOVE THE TOP EDGES OF SAID REAR WALL PORTIONS AND SAID PARTITION, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A RABBET ALONG EACH SIDE WALL EXTENDING FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR THEREOF TO SEAT ON THE TOP EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING SIDE WALL OF A LOWER CABINET SECTION AND SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A RECESSED PORTION ADJACENT BOTH THE FRONT WALL PORTIONS AND THE REAR WALL, THERE BEING A COVER PLATE TO SEAT ON THE TOP EDGES OF THE REAR WALL PORTIONS AND THE PARTITION OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED SECTION AND HAVING HOLES TO FIT OVER BOSSES ON THE TOP EDGE OF SAID PARTITION ADJACENT THE FRONT WALL PORTION OF SAID PARTITION AND REAR WALL, RESPECTIVELY, AND THE TOP EDGE OF THE PARTITION HAVING SUCH BOSSES SELECTIVELY EITHER TO FIT INTO SUCH HOLES OR TO ENTER SAID RECESED PORTION OF THE BOTTOM WALL IN ABUTMENT WITH THE FRONT WALL PORTION OF SAID PARTITION WITH THE REAR WALL OF A SUPERPOSED SECTION. 